Lyra shifted, resting her chin on her palm with a low groan. "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry," Viola teased, but her own stomach betrayed her with a quiet rumble. She smirked, adjusting her ornament like it was nothing. "Maybe she's not the only one."

Xavier laughed under his breath and tapped the side console built into the couch. A sleek menu unfolded in front of him, glowing faintly. He didn't even bother asking what they wanted — he just ordered enough for ten people. Exotic cuts, roasted meats, fresh fruits preserved from alien gardens, spiced drinks that glowed faintly in their glasses.

"Food will take a while to arrive."

Lyra mumbled through a mouthful, "That's fine. I can endure it."

The next set of items rolled in on the screen while they waited.

Lot 309 — a rare mineral cluster, glowing faintly with traces of unstable energy. Sold for thirty million.

Lot 310 — a pair of enchanted blades forged on some backwater fantasy planet. Sold for seventy million.

Lot 311 — luxury hovercars, chrome-plated and fitted with outdated but flashy systems. A hundred million gone in seconds.

Lot 312 — a living pet from a swamp world, half-slime, half-cat, wriggling in its containment pod. It caused a bit of laughter in the hall before it sold for twenty million.

The energy had cooled compared to the frenzy from earlier. The nobles were pacing themselves again, waiting for the next big score.

Xavier chewed slowly, smirking. "The calm before the storm, huh?"

Angel, glass in hand, glanced at the screen. "Always. They bait the crowd with scraps, then drop something no one can ignore."

Lyra licked the juice from her fingers, still chewing. "Better be something worth staying awake for."

Angel's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Trust me. It will be."

The lights shifted again, darker this time, the feed on the main screen fading into a single black display with golden text.

The next item was coming.

The lights dimmed almost all the way, leaving the room in a soft, tense glow. The screens flickered, then came alive with golden text: "Lot 313 — The Forbidden Mixed Breed."

A hush fell across the hall. Even the regular murmurs of nobles bidding or chatting faded into nothing.

The camera feed focused slowly, revealing her. She was seated in a sleek containment pod, tall and lithe, with features that didn't belong anywhere in the galaxy—or any record of the worlds she came from. Her hair shifted between silken black and streaks of deep violet, her eyes a sharp golden with slitted pupils. Faint, almost translucent markings ran along her arms and neck, glowing faintly with energy that pulsed like she had a heartbeat of her own in the pod. Her tail flicked lazily behind her, covered in soft scales, hinting at her hybrid nature, but her face… her face could charm even the hardest of hearts.

Lyra's jaw dropped slightly. "She… shouldn't exist."

Viola's eyes narrowed, calculating. "Dangerous. Rare. And she's… alive. That ups the stakes."

Angel stayed silent, studying the feed, her hands gripping the tablet a little tighter.

The auctioneer's voice cut through the tension, smooth and practiced. "Starting bid: five billion credits. She comes with a controlled environment, specialized care, and complete legal ownership rights within the Underworld jurisdiction. Remember, this is one of a kind—there is no replacement."

Lyra's golden eyes flicked to Xavier. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Xavier tilted his head, smirk tugging at his lips. "Yeah. I'm thinking… I like her."

The room erupted into whispers again, the golden glow of the feed showing her shifting slightly in the pod, testing the boundaries of the containment field.

The first bid rang out: "Five billion!"

Another countered immediately: "Seven!"

"Ten!"

"Twelve!"

The numbers climbed, dozens of bidders throwing insane amounts just for the chance to own something that shouldn't exist.

Lyra leaned against Xavier, tail flicking lazily. "You better not let anyone snatch her from us."

Xavier's grin widened. "Relax. I don't lose the things I want."

The auction was heating fast, and Lot 313 had everyone in the hall on edge. Even the smaller items from before were forgotten now — this was the crown jewel.

A sharp laugh rolled across the hall as another counter slammed the board. "Fifteen billion!"

Xavier sighed, leaning back on the couch. "Twenty."

Another hand shot up. "Twenty-five billion!"

The pace was insane. Numbers jumped like lightning—thirty, thirty-five, forty… the murmurs now were more shocked gasps than casual conversation.

Lyra's tail flicked nervously against the couch. "She's worth it," she murmured. "But these people… they're insane."

Xavier gritted his teeth, smirk sharpening into a sly grin. "I like insane." He called again. "Fifty billion!"

The board blinked, then another hand shot up. "Seventy-five!"

A flash of golden rage crossed Xavier's eyes. He slammed his hand down. "Eighty"

The auctioneer's gavel hovered as the hall froze. Even Lyra's eyes widened, her jaw almost dropping. Hundred billion? That was more than most people would see in a lifetime.

Then… another hand. The board blinked, and the number shot past him. "One hundred ṣbillion!"

Xavier's jaw tightened. He leaned back, rubbing the bridge of his nose, feeling the tension crawl up his neck. He hadn't even thought he could afford that number, hadn't even had it on him—but he'd been willing to risk it.

Lyra's tail flicked slowly, voice low and amused. "You really went all in, didn't you?"

Xavier let out a low chuckle, finally leaning back fully. "Guess… someone wanted her more than me."

The auctioneer's hammer fell. "Sold! Lot 313 — to the highest bidder!"

The room erupted, some cheering, some groaning. Xavier didn't move immediately, his gaze lingering on the pod. The woman inside shifted slightly, as if sensing the tension, but her eyes remained calm.

Lyra's hand rested on his arm. "Don't worry. We'll find another way."

Xavier exhaled, letting the tension leave his shoulders, smirk returning. "Yeah… for now. But that just made this auction… a lot more fun."

Meanwhile, in another room, the bidder was celebrating.

"Hehe! Another beauty added to my collection!"

And that bidder was none other than Victor.

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